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Thursday, June 16, 2016

Supporting International Days of Prayer (IDOP) for the Persecuted Church IDOP 2016: November 6 and 13

In 1960 the Church was predominantly white, middle class and Western. Most Christians lived in majority-Christian states with secular governments, rule of law and Judeo-Christian foundations. These were safe environments, where Christians generally represented the mainstream of culture. Today, due to the phenomenal efforts of indigenous believers throughout the developing world, the Church is predominantly (around 80 percent) coloured, poor and non-Western. Today, hundreds of millions of believers live as vulnerable Christian minorities amidst Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist majorities and/or under totalitarian regimes. In these states, a different worldview manifests in repression and human rights abuses.

The times in which we live are times of escalating persecution. Anti-Christian hostility is on the rise globally. This is true in the West, which is rejecting its own cultural foundations forcing Christians to become counter-cultural -- that is, to go against the flow. It is also true in the developing world where counter-cultural Christianity is viewed as divisive, offensive and an intolerable problem to be either controlled or eliminated.

Forces are rising against the Church the world over. Ultimately however, the LORD will be exalted -- not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 4:6) working in and through the Church that Christ is building.

We must never forget that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood . . . . . . With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." (from Ephesians 6:11-18)

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according
to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but
have divine power to destroy strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

So may "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high
positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and
dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of
God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the
knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) Click here for other helpful material, including A Prayer for the Persecuted, which was especially written to be used by small groups and in church worship services.

AFGHANISTAN
• May the Taliban will be hamstrung, isolated and ultimately defeated.
• May the Lord sustain, comfort and build his Afghan Church -- may the gates of hell not prevail against her (Matthew 16:18). May Jehovah jireh (God our provider) provide Afghan believers with their every need -- whether they be inside Afghanistan or in the Afghan Diaspora. May God continue to bless the Afghan church in the Diaspora with great growth; and may the LORD of hosts break through in Afghanistan. "And God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light." (Gen 1:3)
• Pray for President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

ALGERIA
where the government's tenuous peace with Islamic fundamentalists depends in part on its willingness to restrict and repress Christianity.
• May the largely young, growing and now vulnerable church grow in faith and grace, trusting in the LORD in all circumstances and for all things. May Christ continue to build his church in Algeria.
• May al-Qaeda and Islamic State not get a foothold in Algeria.
• Pray for President Abdelaziz Bouateflika.

AZERBAIJAN
an authoritarian Turkic Muslim state threatened by the rise of fundamentalist Islam; a belligerent oil-rich state that routinely threatens the region's Christian Armenians -- in Nagorno-Karabakh, and in Armenia itself.
• May the Lord give grace to
the authorities, that they may distinguish between good and bad,
blessing and threat; so that the church need not be swept up in
anti-terror measures that target 'non-traditional' and 'foreign'
religion.
• May God intervene for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, so they might have security, liberty, hope and a future.
• May the church grow in faith, wisdom and numbers.
• Pray for President Ilham Aliyev,
• Pray for the president of neighbouring Armenia, President Serzh Sargsyan
• Pray for Nagorno-Karabakh leader, President Bako Sahakyan.

BANGLADESH
as the nation's secular roots are eroded, along with liberty and rule of law.
• May Bangladeshis reject intolerant fundamentalist Islam; may Islamic State (IS) not get a foothold.
• May Bangladesh's persecuted Christian minority not lose hope. May they endure their trials and hardships as shining lights, with wisdom and grace.
• May the Lord be their shield and defender, and add to their number.
• May the Lord of hosts protect Christian pastors, aid workers and missionaries from attacks and assassination by Islamic militants claiming allegiance to IS.
• Pray for Prime Minister (Ms) Sheikh Hasina.

BELARUS
•
that these days of oppression might be redeemed, so the people might come
to treasure liberty and hunger for truth. May the Church grow in faith,
wisdom, grace and unity in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:3) across
denominational lines, ready for the future.
• Pray for President Alexander Lukashenka.

BHUTAN
•
for the young, reformist King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (33); may God give him and the parliament courage and conviction as they address the people's fears concerning change. May people grow
in confidence that openness and liberty need not spell the end of that
which is precious, good
and beautiful in their culture.
• May the local church have wisdom, sensitivity and grace in
all things as they face a resurgence of hostile, popularist Buddhist nationalism. May the Lord add to their number.

BOSNIA
• that there will be a profound rejection of the intolerant,
imperialistic, jihadist Islam that threatens liberty and peace.
• May true
reconciliation emerge out of truth and repentance.
• May the church be a shining example of love and unity in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:3) across denominational and
ethnic lines, for the sake of the Gospel of Grace, which is Bosnia's only hope.

BURKINA FASO
a diverse, needy, majority Muslim state with a growing church.
• May the Lord protect Burkina Faso, especially pastors, aid workers and missionaries, as the threat of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) looms large.
• May Australian doctor Ken Elliot (81), kidnapped by AQIM fighters on 16 January 2016, be delivered alive and well to be reunited with his family and other loved ones.

BURMA (Myanmar)where anti-conversion lawshave been passed to "protect" Buddhism. May the Lord bless the Church with great wisdom as she navigates the changing environment.
• May there will be an end to the racial (ethnic Burman) and religious (Buddhist)
supremacy that is at the root of Burma's multiple internal military conflicts.
May peace and religious freedom be realised.
• May the Lord sustain his long-suffering, persecuted church and
intervene on behalf of Burma's ethnic minority Christian peoples -- the
Chin and the Kachin, as well as the Karen (who have a large Christian
minority).
May the Lord intervene to stop the flow of soul-destroying drugs into Burma's ethnic minority region.
• Pray for President Htin Kyaw.
• Pray for State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
• May the Lord be glorified in Burma.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR)
• that God will sustain and preserve his church in face of insecurity and the continuing threat of Islamic violence from Seleka forces.
• May CAR's Christians (76%) - especially church leaders - put their faith in the LORD as they care for displaced and grieving.
• May the Lord give CAR's church leaders great wisdom as they lead the way in peacemaking and reconciliation.
• Pray for President Faustin-Archange Touadéra.

CENTRAL ASIA (general) -- the former Soviet Republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan -- where authoritarian regimes are resisting openness and struggling against revolutionary and jihadist Islam.
• May the Lord grace Central Asian leaders with a commitment to
religious liberty and with discernment in matters of national security.
• May the Lord bless and comfort believers who have been imprisoned, fined or beaten for their worship or witness. Build and fortify your church in Central Asia, Lord, supply her needs and add to her number.

CHINA
• for President, Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang; may they heed the call for religious freedom so that China's Christians may worship freely without fear or danger; so that Bibles and theological studies may be accessible to all who desire them; and so China's evangelists may witness freely and safely across the nation and throughout the world.
• May the church may continue to grow in grace and number in spite of escalating oppression and hardship. Lord, raise up more pastors and evangelists to meet the enormous demand (Matthew 9:37-38).
• May the Lord be a shield and fortress to those courageous believers who, despite the threat of beatings and imprisonment, witness for Christ and gather to worship and pray for their nation.
• Bless China's imprisoned believers -- mostly pastors and Christian lawyers. May the Lord heal their physical and emotional wounds, and may the ever-present Holy Spirit comfort, counsel and uplift their hearts -- for the glory of the God.

COTE D'IVOIRE
• May grace be granted to this profoundly divided, formerly Christian-dominated nation that has suffered betrayal and Islamic violence by rebels backed by former colonial power France.
• Pray for former President Laurent Gbagbo (a Christian), now a prisoner of the International Criminal Court and doubtless a victim of gross injustice.
• May the Church look to the Lord for the healing of the nation. 'I am the Lord your healer.' (Exodus 15:26)
• May increased security pave the way for increased witness and church growth. Father, send out workers into your harvest field (Matthew 9:38).
• Pray for President Alassane Ouattara (a Muslim).

CUBA• that tentative steps towards openness would continue so that Cuba's long-suffering, faithful and growing church might soon know real freedom.• Pray for President Raúl Castro.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
a nation transformed by amazing revivals in the 20th century, but now suffering from endless conflict on account of greed, corruption, occultism. Pray against the new threat posed by Islamic rebels wreaking havoc in the northeast.
• May the Lord sustain his church as she seeks to serve and heal. May he be a shield and fortress to every mission station, and protect his children from the appalling violence of armed militias and occultists.
• May DR Congo know revival again, and may the power of the evil one be broken.
• Pray for DRC President Joseph Kabila.

EGYPT
• that more and more Egyptians will awaken to the reality that Islam is not the solution to corruption, immorality and economic malaise, and that fundamentalist Islam leads only to increased repression, regression and strife.
• May Egyptians seek and find the truth that will set them free and bring justice and healing to their land.
• May the Lord be a shield and fortress to the long-suffering, persecuted Copts (Egypt's indigenous Christians -- the true descendants of the Pharaohs). • May IS' attempts to incite jihad against the Copts fail at every level -- may it never eventuate.
• May Coptic and Arab believers lean on the LORD for wisdom, strength, protection and comfort. May they hold on to the promise of Isaiah 19:16-25 and never lose hope. May they resist the temptation to put their trust in earthly 'saviors'. May they instead, in faithfulness and trust, fix their eyes upon Jesus Christ their healer and Saviour. "Blessed be Egypt my people."
• Pray for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Pray for grace and wisdom for the head of the Coptic Church, Pope Tawadros II.

ERITREA
a violently repressive nation of secret prisons and torture where hundreds of Christians are imprisoned because of their faith.
• Sanctify your church and redeem her suffering. May she grown in faith, grace and unity in the Holy Spirit across denominational lines to emerge from this trial refined and glorious.
• Intervene, O Lord, for the sake of your people. Liberate Eritreans by your own hand (Isaiah 59:14-19), bring down the regime of cruel totalitarian despot, President Isaias Afewerki.

ETHIOPIA
• may the government be graced with wisdom and conviction in these days of rising Islam and regional instability.
• May justice and rule of law prevail in Muslim majority areas for the sake of church. May religious liberty be preserved and may the Church be united across tribal and denominational lines, particularly for the purpose of mission and prayer.
• Pray for Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

EUROPE (general)
For decades now, western Europe has been rejecting Christianity while appeasing, advancing and even embracing Islam. Is God judging Europe by giving them exactly what they want -- in "flood" proportions? (cf Isaiah 8:5-8)
Please pray:
• that Europeans will remember the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:11-20) and "return", so that the battle might be turned back at the gate (Isaiah 28:5-6).
• that the Lord will grace Europe with a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit for awakening, revival and reformation. May Europe's Christians look to the LORD for peace and the transformation of society.

INDIA
• that Indians will reject Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) and religious apartheid, in spite of having elected a Hindu national government. May the hindutva agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP -- which also rules over many states -- be thwarted, paralysed, hamstrung and even turned on its head. May God use everything for HIS good purpose. (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). [Hindutva is a fascist ideology which insists that India is the homeland of the Hindu race. Christians are not permitted to witness, and are expected to "return" to Hinduism.]
• Pray for a breakthrough with the upper castes, especially the seemingly impenetrable high caste Brahmins (priestly caste) who see egalitarian Christianity as a threat to their inherited power and privilege.
• Lord, grant Christian leaders great wisdom as they advocate for religious liberty, equality and security and navigate Hindu nationalist policies including anti-conversion laws and seek protection from Hindutva violence, forced conversions and impunity. Lord, protect the courageous pastors and evangelists who risk life and liberty to witness and lead worship and prayer, and to baptise new believers in this hostile, incendiary environment.
• Sanctify your Church O Lord, ridding her of any ingrained racism and caste discrimination. Bless every courageous act of witness, for the glory of the LORD in India.
• Lord, sustain, protect and bless your church in Indian-administered Kashmir where a wave of Islamic persecution has hurt the church and forced many Christians to flee. Give your church boldness along with great wisdom in this increasingly dangerous environment, and bless all witness.
• Pray for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (a proud Hindu nationalists).

INDONESIA
• May Indonesians profoundly and loudly reject intolerant, fundamentalist Islam. May religious liberty be preserved, treasured and advanced. Lord, frustrate the ways of the wicked (Psalm 146:9) and protect your churches, pastors, evangelists and worshippers during these days of Islamic radicalisation and terrorist threat. Sustain and sanctify your church. May she shine as a beacon with a message of hope for millions of disillusioned, still wonderfully open Indonesian Muslims.
• May the Lord intervene in Papua (formerly Irian Jaya / West New Guinea), so the slow, systematic genocide of the Christian Melanesian Papuan people might cease.
• Lord, clear the way for Papua's Church to blossom in security and liberty, in all grace. Sustain and protect those courageous Papuan voices, including many church leaders, who risk much to speak out for justice, righteousness and liberty. Bless and comfort your people; may they not lose hope. May they look to the LORD of hosts for deliverance from Indonesian military tyranny and racial-religious hatred.
• May the Lord protect, preserve, comfort and encourage the severely persecuted Christians of Aceh province, the only province under Sharia law.
• Pray for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi): may the Lord give him wisdom and courage and use him for his divine purpose. May the opposition - the Suharto-era political elite, who hold a majority in parliament - not be permitted to thwart much needed and wanted reforms.
• Pray for Basuki (Ahok) Tjahaja Purnama, the ethnic Chinese Christian Governor of Jakarta: may the Lord protect him from Islamic militants who are threatening to get rid of him; refusing to have a Christian over them. May God use Ahok for his purpose and for his glory.

IRAN a most strategic nation, rich in history and culture, now captive to revolutionary Islam and a belligerent theocracy.
• Intervene, Lord, for the sake of your church and for Israel. Liberate this nation so your church might bring your message of salvation and healing to those who are hungry for truth and brimming with potential.
• Intervene, Lord, to sustain and preserve your persecuted and threatened church, adding to their number daily those who are being saved.
• Protect and bless Iran's pastors and evangelists, her numerous Christian prisoners and her new believers (apostates) for whom life is tenuous.
• protect, preserve and deliver those imprisoned, often in life-threatening conditions, on account of their faith and witness. May they know the loving presence of the Lord. 'But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.' (Psalm 3:3)
• Gracious Lord, continue to bless the Iranian church in the Diaspora with great growth and maturity. May she stand as a witness to the whole world, that Jesus Christ is Lord -- that he is merciful, gracious, faithful, powerful and absolutely wonderful.
• May God continue the amazing and exciting work he is doing among Persians. The spiritual battle is heating up and persecution is intensifying. Please Pray!
• Pray for Ayatollah Ali Khameni, who is terminally ill.
• Pray for President Hassan Rouhani.

IRAQ
where the genocide of the indigenous Assyrian nation is all but complete. Numbering 1.5 million in 1980, a mere remnant of some 200,000 remains -- virtually all of whom are traumatised, displaced and destitute. Lord have mercy!
• Lord, sustain and protect pastors and believers from Islamist attack and lawless violence. Comfort your people and anoint the church with strength from the Holy Spirit, so she may endure and be "salt" and "light" to those around her.
• Bless all those who are aiding and assisting your traumatised Church including local Christians who are carrying the bulk of the burden; and donors around the world who are giving generously to help those churches cover the cost of food, clothin and shelter. Bless those local Muslims who have put aside religious differences to aid those in need.
• We pray a special blessing on the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan - where multitudes of Assyrians have found refuge. May the Kurds truly come to see the Christians as a blessing. May the Lord be mightily at work in and through his people in the midst of the Kurds.
• We praise the Lord that while well over 130,000 Christians were expelled from their homes in Nineveh Province, they were not massacred or enslaved en masse. This may well prove to be a miracle of God's grace to preserve his people - to preserve the Assyrian nation.
• May the Lord protect and preserve the Nineveh Plains and all Assyrian lands from predatory land grabbing.
• May the displaced and traumatised Assyrian Christians hold on to faith and not lose hope. May they remember the promise of Isaiah 19:23-25, and that Assyria -- the nation that will be "a blessing in the midst of the earth" -- will be the work of HIS hands.
• May the LORD deal with IS and end its reign of terror.
• Pray for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
• Pray for the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani.

JORDAN
where Islamic State (IS) is literally "at the gate" and a largely supportive, restive Palestinian majority could cause serious trouble for the church should security collapse.
• Lord have mercy; guard your Church, may she grow in faith and unity in the Holy Spirit across ethnic and denominational lines. May she lean on you and trust in you through these days of uncertainty. May openness and religious liberty survive – for the sake of your gospel in the region.
• Pray for Jordan's King Abdullah.

KAZAKHSTAN
where religious liberty is in decline and Soviet methods of social control -- such as forced psychiatric treatment -- are making a comeback.
• May God intervene in Kazakhstan to reverse its slide into darkness. May Kazakhstan's citizens be awakened to reject and protest this shameful and dangerous regression. May the Holy Spirit bless all gospel witness with effectual transforming power.
• Pray for President Nursultan Nazarbeyev.

KENYA
where thriving churches are being targeted for violence, as intolerant fundamentalist Islam grows and spreads; as coastal Muslims call for independence; as radical Muslims reject anti-terror laws; and as jihadists (particularly al-Shabaab) enact revenge for Kenyan military counter-terror operations in Somalia.
• Lord, be a shield around every church and a fortress to every believer. Grace the government with clarity and conviction to uphold religious liberty and rule of law. Awaken Muslims and frustrate the way of the wicked (Psalm 146:9b).
• Pray for wisdom and strength for President Uhuru Kenyatta.

KOSOVO
where many decades of pro-Albanian, anti-Serb policies – initially under the Turks, later under Tito and eventually under NATO – have resulted in this province -- the historic heartland of the Serbian nation and Serbian Orthodox Church -- being colonised by Albanian Muslims and illegally separated from Serbia.
• Lord, comfort Kosovo's remnant Serbian church. May the mostly Protestant Albanian church reach out to her, demonstrating love and unity across ethnic and denominational lines, for the future of Kosovo and the glory of God.
• May the Lord intervene for Kosovo's remnant Serbs: may security and human and cultural rights be improved.
• Pray for Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.

LAOS
where the Communist regime deems Christianity a "foreign [Western] religion" that threatens national security (i.e. Communist control) and social cohesion.
• Lord, intervene in Laos to end cruelty and tyranny and bring justice and liberty.
• Lord, sustain and protect your sorely persecuted church. Bless those who have been dispossessed, beaten, imprisoned and tortured on account of your name; comfort them and supply their every need. Bless their witness and build your Church.
• Pray for President Choummaly Sayasone.

LEBANON
which has been heavily infiltrated by militants from Islamic State (IS) and al-Nusra (al-Qaeda) who are now threatening the peace of this fragile, multi-confessional state. Most at risk are the northern port city of Tripoli, and the northern Bekaa Valley.
• Lord, grace Lebanon's leaders with cool heads, wisdom and discernment.
• May Christian leaders have divine wisdom to lead the Church in the way of the LORD. May they look to you and trust in you amidst insecurity and threat.
• Father we pray for the many thousands of Christian refugees from Syria and Iraq who, while struggling to survive, now face the prospect of insecurity in Lebanon. Protect, sustain and preserve your people O Lord. Sanctify your Church and forge unity in the Body.
• Pray for Prime Minister and acting President, Tammam Salam.
• In these days of skyrocketing sectarian tensions, Lebanon needs a strong consensus leader. May God provide!

LIBYA
which is now a failed sate where conflict, radicalisation and Islamic intolerance are threatening the church's very existence.
• May IS not be permitted to establish a springboard to Europe. May the various jihadist factions be wracked with confusion and infighting -- incapable of forming a united front.
• May the church have wisdom and courage as she just seeks to survive and witness. O Holy Spirit, bless all witness and may Christ build his Church in Libya.

MALAYSIA
a melting-pot of Asian cultures where harmony is sometimes tested by racial and religious tensions.
• Intervene Lord, so that Malaysian Muslims might reject the intolerant fundamentalist Islam that threatens peace. May Malaysians reject politicians who play the Islam card for political gain, adding fuel to the fires of religious intolerance.
• Lord, bless the Malaysian church; may there be unity in the Holy Spirit across racial and denominational lines. May your Church shine as an example of the harmony that is achievable through Jesus Christ. Grant church leaders wisdom as they face the effects of advancing Islamisation.
• Father, give Christian leader divine wisdom to navigate the sensitive language issue and the ban that prevents Christians using the word 'Allah' (the Malay word for 'God') - a ban that effectively renders Malay-language Bibles illegal. Lord help them!
• Pray for President Najib Razak.

MALDIVES
• where a glorious tropical island setting hides a cruel, repressive, Islamist reality. Lord, we pray for an awakening among Maldivian Muslims and an empowering of reformist voices. May Maldivians profoundly reject intolerant fundamentalist Islam.
• Lord, shield the long-suffering and imperiled church. Bless and comfort them and supply all their needs while adding to their number.
• Pray for President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom (an Islamist).
• Pray also for former president and opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed (a reformist being kept in military detention).

MALI
• May issues of poor governance be rectified and legitimate Tuareg grievances be addressed so the pattern of recuring unrest might end.
• May the Lord bless churches and ministries with fruit for their labour as they seek to spread the good news of the Gospel through a desperately needy nation.
• May Swiss missionary Beatrice Stockly, kidnapped by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) on 15 January 2016, be delivered alive and well.
• Pray for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.

MIDDLE EAST (general)
which is awash with intolerant fundamentalist Islam and wracked with insecurity and repression.
• Lord, bless all those ministries that witness in this region -- especially gospel radio and satellite TV ministries -- provide all their needs so the gospel can continue to infiltrate this closed region. Awaken the lost to their need of a Saviour who can not only forgive sin, but radically transform the individual and society.
• Lord, sustain and preserve your threatened Church in this the birthplace of the Church. Add Jews and Muslims to your church daily as they are being saved. Bless, comfort and encourage your people – may they never lose hope.
• Forge unity in your Church Lord: may historical and political grievances be forgiven for the sake of solidarity, brotherly love and unity in Christ Jesus (John 17:21). May Jesus Christ be praised all across the Middle East and may peace reign for the glory of God.

MOROCCO
• that Moroccan openness, tolerance and progress will not be thwarted by advances in fundamentalist and political Islam. Lord, grace King Mohammed VI -- the driving force behind reforms -- with discernment and conviction, that he might be an instrument in the hand of God to do good for all Moroccans. May Islamists not be permitted to set the agenda and may true religious freedom be observed in practice.
• Bless the church with wisdom and strength for endurance, adding to her number daily.
• Pray for King Mohammed VI; and for Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane.

NEPAL
where, after a decade of openness and liberty, Nepal now has a new recently passed constitution which enshrines 'secularism' (enraging Hindu nationalists) while also enshrining anti-conversion laws. This is going to cause immense problems for Christians.
• Lord, grant the Church wisdom and courage as she navigates the changed and now dangerous environment.
• Bless the Church Lord, as she serves the nation in the name of Jesus.
• Pray for President Ram Baran Yadav.

NIGER
which, having been infiltrated by Boko Haram and other radical Islamists, experienced its first major Islamic anti-Christian pogrom in January 2015 -- leaving the Christian community devastated.
• May the Lord comfort all those believers whose churches have been torched and vandalised. May they not be gripped with fear, but rather, may they draw near to the Lord for grace and strength.
• though 97 percent Muslim, Niger is proudly secular. Praise God that the violence was loudly condemned.
• Pray for President Mahamadou Issoufou.

NIGERIA
• that the LORD himself will burst through against Boko Haram, Fulani Muslim aggression and Islamic imperialism. May jihad and intolerant fundamentalist Islam be rejected. May captives be freed and may peace return to Nigeria.
• May the Lord generously anoint Nigeria's pastors, evangelists and lawmakers with the Holy Spirit of power to lead many to Christ, especially in the troubled Muslim north where Christians are severely persecuted and threatened. In this land of immense spiritual warfare, may the Lord raise up more workers and send them out into the harvest field.
• Bless the churches Lord, and Bible colleges, as well as the courageous believers who continue to witness and worship despite threats of violence and terrorism. Be their shield and fortress. Frustrate the ways of the wicked: may their plots come to nothing! May the Lord be praised throughout all Nigeria!
• May the Lord intervene to prevent the further Islamisation of Nigeria.
• Pray for President Muhammadu Buhari.

NORTH KOREA
• that God will intervene to bring justice and liberty to this land of severe oppression and unspeakable suffering. May cruelty, hunger and totalitarianism come to an end; may the prisoners be released; may the nation open up; may the King of Glory come in (Psalm 24).
• Reverse the fortunes of North Korea, O LORD, so that Pyongyang may once again be a city where the Lord is worshipped and praised. And may deliverance come quickly (Psalm 31:2).
• Pray for leader Kim Jong-un.

PAKISTAN
• that God will give the Pakistani government the strength and resolve it needs to pursue justice and security for all Pakistanis regardless of religion.
• Lord, awaken Pakistani Muslims to the reality that intolerant Islam brings nothing but conflict, repression and pain, while inhibiting growth and development. May those who have hated and persecuted Christians without cause be ashamed. May Pakistan experience a miraculous reversal of direction.
• May IS not get a foothold in Pakistan.
• May the Lord, bless, sustain, protect and comfort Pakistan's sorely persecuted and gravely imperilled Church. Father, be with those who are in prison or in hiding because hostile Muslims have persecuted them, threatening them with violence and/or accusations of 'blasphemy'. Lord, preserve their lives. Be with those have been displaced by violent Islamic pogroms. Lord, grant them justice and recompense. Be with those who grieve because Islamic hatred and terrorism has robbed them of their loved ones. Lord, be their comforter. Father, be a shield and defender to all Pakistan's imperilled believers. Supply all their needs and empower their witness as they seek to follow you, to serve their nation and to lead disillusioned Pakistanis to the peace that is found only in Jesus Christ.
• Pray for prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

PHILIPPINES
• that the government would have great wisdom as it seeks to negotiate a just peace on Mindanao in the south -- peace with the MILF and with the MNLF. May the Moro Islamic insurgency come to an end without appeasement that would negatively impact the constitutional rights Philippinos.
• Lord, bless those who risk much to witness and serve among the Muslims of the south; may their sacrificial labours not be in vain.
• May the Lord grant all Christian leaders -- pastors, civic leaders, lawmakers -- great wisdom and fortitude as they step into the unknown with a new president.
• Pray for President President Duterte

RUSSIA
• that God will graciously restore the years that the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25) by bringing revival and reformation to the Russian Church. Embolden and fortify the church for mission and spiritual warfare.
• May the Russian Church be free of corruption. O Holy Spirit, bring conviction of sin and deep repentance to those who have been complicit in evil or insensitive to needs.
• May God's love be shed abroad in the hearts of Russian Christians enabling unity in the Holy Spirit across racial and denominational lines, so that together they might tackle Russia's immense social problems -- the fruits of decades of brutally enforced atheism -- in the name of Jesus.
• Lord, grace Russia's leaders with wisdom as they tackle the jihadist threat.
• Pray for President Vladimir Putin.

SAUDI ARABIA
where the Spirit of God is at work proving that nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
• We praise you LORD that the crucified and risen Christ is being worshipped, albeit secretly, in the heartland of the Arabs and of Islam. Lord our fortress, place your protective hand over each precious Saudi Christian, for their lives are gravely imperiled. Lord our shepherd, lead each Saudi convert in your light and wisdom.
• May the Lord protect and preserve Christian expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia - especially poor Asians and Africans who are routinely persecuted and arrested for meeting together.
• May the Lord protect Saudi Christian refugees, hiding them from Saudi intelligence and the agents who hunt them down in to the farthest corners of the earth. 'Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.' (Psalm 17:8)
• May the church in Saudi Arabia live and grow in faith and in number; and may "justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24).
• Pray for King Salman.

SOMALIA
a traumatised, war-ravaged land of new believers, secret believers, persecuted believers and martyrs.
• O Lord, sustain, protect, bless and comfort your remnant church; bring al-Shabaab's terror to an end.
• O Creator God, speak order into the chaos and light into the darkness.
• May al-Shabaab be decisively defeated.
• O Holy Spirit: awaken this devastated nation to the truth that can set them free. "And God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light." (Gen 1:3)
• Pray for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
• Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke.

SOUTH SUDAN
• that the Lord would bless this newest of nations, restoring the years that the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25).
• Lord, grace South Sudan's leaders with wisdom, discernment and humility; rid all leaders of corruption and selfish ambition. May this war-weary people be blessed with peace and unity in spirit across tribal lines. May this war-ravaged land be blessed with fruitfulness, aid and development.
• May the church that grew through years of war, now grow amidst peace with thankfulness.
• Pray for President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar.

SRI LANKA
• that Sri Lanka's political leaders the wisdom and strength to resist the political temptation to play the race-religion card and appease Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists at the cost of religious freedom. May there be genuine reconciliation based on truth and justice.
• Lord, bless and protect your church as she serves the nation in the name of Jesus and models peace, love and unity before a war-weary, suspicious and divided people.
• Pray for President Maithripala Sirisena.

SUDAN
• that President Omar el Bashir's reign of racist and Islamist terror will come to an end and that ethnic cleansing, Islamic jihad and persecution of the church will cease.
• May the Lord intervene on behalf of the Christian Nuba of the Nuba Mountains, facing their second genocide in a generation.Lord have mercy!
• O Lord intervene and reverse Sudan's direction so that justice, equity and liberty might be realised and so hundreds of thousands of refugees from Sth Kordofan and Blue Nile, presently languishing in camps in South Sudan, can return to liberty and security with hope for the future. (Psalm 10)
• Lord, comfort and bless your imperiled church -- particularly the church in the Nuba Mountains which suffers constant aerial bombardment and the threat of regime-engineered famine (starvation as a weapon of mass destruction).
• Bless those who risk their lives to get food and medical aid to this closed region - keep them safe and provide all their needs. Lord build your Church; may the gates of hell not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
• Pray for President Omar el-Bashir.

SYRIA
• where Christians outside of government-held areas are either living under Islamic State (IS) terror, or they are at risk of jihadist-rebel attack.
• Pray especially for the Christian remnant in Raqqa and Hassekah. Lord have mercy! Sustain and deliver your people and liberate their lands.
• Pray for the multitudes of displaced believers -- from Aleppo, Idlib and across the whole country.
• Lord, in your mercy, intervene to rescue your gravely imperiled church. Assure believers of your loving presence (Romans 8:35-39). May they look to you for all things in all circumstances. Comfort and encourage them and supply all their needs. Lord, quiet the tumult of the peoples (Psalm 65:7) and bring the counsel of the nations to nothing (Psalm 33:10), that the will of the LORD may prevail.
• May the Lord sustain and protect all the Christian refugees now struggling to survive in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.
• May the LORD deal with IS, the al-Nusra-led Jaysh el-Fateh coalition, the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and all Islamist factions -- to end their terror.
• May this land -- the land where the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:26) -- become a land of mission, grace and blessing once again.
• Pray for President Bashar al-Assad.

TANZANIA
where an increasingly radical Muslim minority is becoming more aggressive and assertive.
• Lord we pray for a revival in the Tanzanian church so the land might be re-evangelized.
• We pray for an awakening among the political leadership -- may they realise what is at stake. May the authorities have courage and conviction to reject appeasement and uphold rule of law.
• Pray for President John Magufuli.

TUNISIA
where the volatile and threatening situation created by the Arab Spring has settled and people are finding their feet.
• May the church's voice be heard in these days of disillusionment. May there be an awakening among Muslims and a turning to Christ as the Gospel is recognised as truth.
• Pray for President Baji Caid Essebsi.

TURKEY
a NATO member, and aspiring EU-member, which boasts of being a model of Muslim democracy and an ally of the West when in reality it is a repressive and belligerent emergent Islamic state advancing its own interests and threatening its remnant church.
• Lord, may the voices of thousands of anti-Islamists and pro-secular Turks -- including thousands of dissidents (journalists, generals, artists etc) imprisoned on false charges of conspiracy -- still be heard. May injustice not prevail.
• Grant your church wisdom as she navigates her steadily Islamising environment. May seized church properties be restored. May the Lord bless, protect and preserve Turkey's remnant Greek, Armenian and Assyrian Christian communities.
• May there be an awakening among Turkey's disillusioned Kemalist (secular) Muslims that leads them to Jesus Christ.
• Pray for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
• Pray for Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

UGANDA
• May the government have wisdom and courage to tackle to the rising Islamic intolerance in Eastern Province. May the impunity come to an end.
• May the Lord comfort and bless those pastors and Muslim converts who have suffered horrendous persecution on account of their faith. Some have lost everything, including family members and their sense of security. May the Lord provide all their needs.
• Pray for President Yoweri Museveni.

UKRAINE
where hundreds of thousands have been displaced in a conflict that is tearing Ukraine apart.
• Lord, give the church clarity and insight, wisdom and grace, courage and strength to do what is right and what is needed to bring reconciliation and healing to the land.
• May Ukraine learn how to sit comfortable in between East and West, and may foreign meddling be exposed and rejected, for the sake of your Church and for the gospel in Ukraine.
• Pray for President Petro Poroshenko.

UNITED KINGDOM (UK)
• that she will remember the Lord and 'return', before God's judgment falls upon her (Deuteronomy 8:11-20).
• In mercy, O Lord, pour out your Spirit and embolden your church with zeal for your truth, for mission and for prayer. Bless, sustain and encourage faithful Christians whose livelihoods, reputations and even security are being threatened on account of Culture Change. May the church embrace your call to be counter-cultural, so she might shine rather than fade through these days of deepening darkness. May the Spirit who worked in and through William Wilberforce to transform Britain once before, move through the UK again with awakening power that the battle might be turned back at the gate (Isaiah 28:5-6).
• Pray for Prime Minister David Cameron.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)
• that the Spirit of God who transformed America through Great Awakenings, would, in mercy and grace, transform America again. Instead of burning with zeal for "religion" and "rights", may the hearts of Americans burn with humbling love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Bless, sustain and encourage faithful Christians whose livelihoods, reputations and even security are being threatened due to Culture Change. In this increasingly godless age, as selfishness, materialism, indulgence, corruption and violence escalate, may the church embrace your call to be counter-cultural, so that she might shine as beacon, exalting the LORD of hosts and turning back the battle (Isaiah 28:5-6). May America remember the Lord and 'return', before God's judgment falls upon her (Deuteronomy 8:11-20).
• Pray for President Barak Obama.

VIETNAM
• that the Vietnamese would reject totalitarianism and racism and be able to discern Communist propaganda from truth. May the masses develop a hunger for justice, righteous, equity and truth.
• Lord, raise up more courageous Christian leaders, pastors and advocates and bless their service in the name of Jesus.
• May the Lord sustain and comfort those who are in prison and those are suffering violent persecution on account of their faith, ministry and advocacy -- remembering in particular, Christian religious liberty advocate Nguyen Van Dai.
• May the Lord protect and bless the Degar / Montagnard Christians of the Central Highlands. May justice roll down like a river (Amos 5:24).
• Pray for President Truong Tan Sang.

ZIMBABWE
• for God to deal with those who persecute the church for political and personal gain. May the nation be liberated from despots who exploit racism, hatred and greed to advance their own ends: may their end be their downfall. Reverse Zimbabwe's fortunes Lord, and cultivate a desire for justice, peace and unity. May the church be in prayer and may praises and thanksgiving resound across Zimbabwe.
• Pray for President Robert Mugabe.

"[Lord], we do not present
our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your
great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and
act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your
people are called by your name." (from Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9)

"So now, O Lord our God, save us from [our enemy's hand], that
all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord."
(from Hezekiah's prayer in Isaiah 39)Now
unto him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or
think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)"Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb." (the chorus from heaven: from Revelation 7:9-12)

By Elizabeth Kendal

By Elizabeth Kendal

Prayer Aids (ESV)

Some trust in chariots and some in horses [i.e. military might], but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. (Psalm 116:1-2)

Since then we have a great have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weakness, but one who is every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

"Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches (i.e. at regular intervals / 4 times through the night)! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children . . ." (Lamentations 2:19)

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16b)

Psalm 10

I can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect weakness." (The Lord to the Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:9a)

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. (Paul, from prison, after lamenting that all the churches in Asia had abandoned him. 2 Timothy 1:16)

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. . . And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. . . love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great . . . (Jesus, in Luke 6:27-36 excerpts)

For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37) (Angel to Mary, regarding the virgin birth)

But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26) (Jesus to disciples regarding salvation)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles . . . [Concerning] the troubles we experienced . . . [they were] beyond our ability to endure . . . we despaired of life . . . But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us . . . and he will deliver us again as you help us by your prayers. ( from 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, NIV)

Psalm 118

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."(Jesus, in Matthew 11:28-30)

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me . . ." (Psalm 138:8)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [martyrs and servants from across the world through all the ages], let us also . . . run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith . . . (from Hebrews 12:1-2)

Psalm 146

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. (Proverbs 21:1)

. . . Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:22)

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." (Isaiah 30:15)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord . . . (James 1:5-7)

"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

Psalm 77

But we have this treasure [the Gospel] in jars of clay [fragile bodies], to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:7-10)

The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10 TNIV)

. . . the Helper, the Holy Spirit . . . will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. [. . .] Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. . . I will come to you." (Jesus, from John 14:26-29)

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations (Psalm 22:27-28)

Isaiah 17:12-14 (a poem of promise)

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:14-15)

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God . . . (Ephesians 6: 16-17)

. . . praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18)

". . . be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. . . When they deliver you over [to the courts], do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. . . do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. . ." (Jesus, in Matthew 10:16-33 excerpts)

"He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." (Galatians 1:23) (refers to the Apostle Paul, who formerly persecuted the church)

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Jesus, in Matthew 7:7-11)

Psalm 46

"And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Jesus to his Church, Matthew 28:20b)

Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:10-11)

The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, so will he repay, wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies . . . (Isaiah 59:15b-18a)

. . . the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14 & Isaiah 11:9b)

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Romans 16:20)

. . . but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (1 Peter 3:15-16)

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Joseph to his brothers, in Genesis 50: 20 NIV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [. . .] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14-21)

It is better to take refuge in the LORD that to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD that to trust in princes. (Psalm 118:8-9)

And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?" (Matthew 8:27, after Jesus stills the storm)

[God] stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples . . . (Psalm 65:7)

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29)

. . . do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Jesus to disciples, in Matthew 18:18)

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; the are new every morning; great is you faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak you word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of you holy servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30, persecuted believers pray for boldness)

. . . do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. . . we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Hebrews 10:35-39)

. . . a bruised reed he [Jesus] will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. (from Isaiah 42:1-4)

Psalm23

Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. (Psalm 141:9-10)

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:5c-6)

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand . . ." (David the shepherd to Goliath the warrior, in 1 Samuel 17:45-46a)

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Consider him [Jesus] who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:3)

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (from Psalm 126:4-6)

"I know that you [God] can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)

And I [the LORD] will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)

"In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart. I have overcome the world." (Jesus; John 16:33b)